He said: “The NUS no longer represents us all as students and it is time for us to create a referendum where we decide if they truly can be the voice of Northumbria students nationally”.

One unnamed NUS sceptic said: “The truth is the NUS is run by a group of metropolitan, politically correct elite who’s trendy leftist obsessions are of little interest of ordinary students at large. Shut it down.”

Karl finished by saying: “Newcastle University has left, now it is our turn.”